Apparently I missed the plot somewhere. I knew the SEC always had some exceptional programs (Kentucky and Florida) with a few always pretty good ones, but this year they are dominating the rankings. Big picture what has happened? Did they get on the big money to players bus earlier than everyone else?
Why Is The SEC So Dominant This Year?
- Thread starter techtim72
- Start date
I think it has been building for several years. There has been lots of coaching turnover. Recruiting has improved, and the transfer market has really helped a few schools. Missouri went from worst to very good with the help of several transfers (they have also recruited a few guys from high school who can really play). Now there is a lot of talent in the SEC.
The thing is, Texas was a top team in the B12, and now they are an also-ran. Same for Oklahoma. The top teams--Auburn, Bama, Florida, Tennessee--are obviously legacy SEC schools.
The best conference in the 2000’s has been the Big East. Of course, mainly because of UCONN. The SEC has had Donovan Florida teams and a Calipati Kentucky Natty. The Big Ten does great as runner up’s. We’ll see if the SEC crushes in in the tourney.
The SEC has as much money to spend as anyone in the NCAA and they have competitively low standards. I'm not sure if they're at the level of NC with fake classes, but life is surely easier for pro players in the SEC than it is in the B1G, and the climate is currently better.
The SEC has made excellent coaching hires in recent years:
Auburn - Bruce Pearl, scumbag though he may be, took UW-Milwaukee to their best record in the kenpom era and took Tennessee to their only Elite 8 appearance in the kenpom era before Rick Barnes did it last year.
Florida - Todd Golden, despite being investigated for sexual assault, took San Francisco to their best season in the kenpom era and is in the process of leading the Gators to their best season in a decade.
Alabama - Nate Oats took Buffalo to the tourney 3 times in 4 seasons, while leading them to their best season in the kenpom era, and has already led Alabama to their best season in the kenpom era two seasons ago, when his best player was possibly an accomplice to murder but played in every game.
Tennessee - Rick Barnes has led Clemson, Texas and Tennessee to their best seasons in the kenpom era, took Texas to the final four (with TJ Ford, not Kevin Durant) once and the elite 8 twice, and will take Tennessee to the tourney as a top-4 seed this year for the 4th year in a row.
Missouri - Dennis Gates turned around a moribund Cleveland St program coming out of COVID before getting Mizzou their first NCAA tourney win in 13 years in his first year. Inexplicably followed that up going 0-18 in conference last year and even more inexplicably turning THAT around into Mizzou's best team since 2012 this year.
Texas A&M - Buzz Williams took Marquette to the sweet 16 or better 3 years in a row before deciding to take the job at Virginia Tech, eventually leading them to their best season in the kenpom era. This year he will lead A&M to the tourney for the 3rd straight year for the first time since 2009-11.
Mississippi - Chris Beard spent one year as the head coach at Little Rock where they had their best record in the kenpom era, before moving to Texas Tech, leading them to their best season in the kenpom era as national runner-up. Shockingly jumped to Texas before being fired in the middle of his second season for likely strangling his girlfriend, but Ole Miss didn't mind that so much as long as he wins games. He will likely take them to the tournament for the first time in 5 seasons, and will be hoping to win a game for the first time since 2013.
Kentucky - Mark Pope was a member of Kentucky's 96 championship team, but started his head coaching career at Utah Valley, leading them to their best record in the kenpom era at the time (since surpassed by current Cal coach Mad Dog Mark Madsen), before heading to BYU, where he guided them to what would have been 3 tournaments in 5 seasons of COVID didn't cancel 2020, including their highest seeding since 2010. He has won over the entire Kentucky fanbase in his first season there, though TBD on if he can do better than Calipari.
Auburn - Bruce Pearl, scumbag though he may be, took UW-Milwaukee to their best record in the kenpom era and took Tennessee to their only Elite 8 appearance in the kenpom era before Rick Barnes did it last year.
Florida - Todd Golden, despite being investigated for sexual assault, took San Francisco to their best season in the kenpom era and is in the process of leading the Gators to their best season in a decade.
Alabama - Nate Oats took Buffalo to the tourney 3 times in 4 seasons, while leading them to their best season in the kenpom era, and has already led Alabama to their best season in the kenpom era two seasons ago, when his best player was possibly an accomplice to murder but played in every game.
Tennessee - Rick Barnes has led Clemson, Texas and Tennessee to their best seasons in the kenpom era, took Texas to the final four (with TJ Ford, not Kevin Durant) once and the elite 8 twice, and will take Tennessee to the tourney as a top-4 seed this year for the 4th year in a row.
Missouri - Dennis Gates turned around a moribund Cleveland St program coming out of COVID before getting Mizzou their first NCAA tourney win in 13 years in his first year. Inexplicably followed that up going 0-18 in conference last year and even more inexplicably turning THAT around into Mizzou's best team since 2012 this year.
Texas A&M - Buzz Williams took Marquette to the sweet 16 or better 3 years in a row before deciding to take the job at Virginia Tech, eventually leading them to their best season in the kenpom era. This year he will lead A&M to the tourney for the 3rd straight year for the first time since 2009-11.
Mississippi - Chris Beard spent one year as the head coach at Little Rock where they had their best record in the kenpom era, before moving to Texas Tech, leading them to their best season in the kenpom era as national runner-up. Shockingly jumped to Texas before being fired in the middle of his second season for likely strangling his girlfriend, but Ole Miss didn't mind that so much as long as he wins games. He will likely take them to the tournament for the first time in 5 seasons, and will be hoping to win a game for the first time since 2013.
Kentucky - Mark Pope was a member of Kentucky's 96 championship team, but started his head coaching career at Utah Valley, leading them to their best record in the kenpom era at the time (since surpassed by current Cal coach Mad Dog Mark Madsen), before heading to BYU, where he guided them to what would have been 3 tournaments in 5 seasons of COVID didn't cancel 2020, including their highest seeding since 2010. He has won over the entire Kentucky fanbase in his first season there, though TBD on if he can do better than Calipari.
Mississippi State - Chris Jans took New Mexico State to their best record in the kenpom era, nearly pulling a 12/5 upset over Auburn in 2019, before pulling off a 12/5 upset over UConn in the 2022 tourney. Before his arrival, State had one tourney appearance since 2009, this year will likely be his 3rd tourney appearance in 3 seasons in Starkville.
Vanderbilt - Mark Byington coached both Georgia Southern and James Madison to their best records in the kenpom era including a 12/5 upset for JMU over Wisconsin in Brooklyn last year. In his first season in Nashville, he may not make the tourney, but he's making Vandy fans forget about the dreadful Stackhouse era already.
Arkansas - John Calipari has taken Memphis and Kentucky to their best records in the kenpom era, including national runner-up at Memphis with Derrick Rose and winning a championship at Kentucky in 2012 with Anthony Davis, along with national runner-up in 2014 with Julius Randle, two other final fours, three elite 8s and one sweet 16. Post-COVID though, he seemed to lose a step and decided to take the Arkansas job. He's already beaten Kentucky at Rupp and looks to be challenging for a tourney spot after losing his star freshman midway through the season.
Texas - Rodney Terry took over after Chris Beard was fired and led the team to the Elite 8, thus getting the job full time. The jury is still out on him, and he is the least-accomplished of these coaches thus far, though he did lead Fresno State to the tourney in 2016 for their only appearance since 2001 in the days of Tark the Shark.
Georgia - Mike White led Louisiana Tech to their best season in the kenpom era before going to Florida, where he made the elite 8 in his second season thanks to Billy Donovan's recruits in 2017. He spent the next 6 seasons underperforming, before jumping to Georgia, where he has...underperformed as well, though they did make the final four last year...of the NIT. They will likely not make the tourney this year either.
Oklahoma - After two mediocre stints at Little Rock and Illinois St, Porter Moser went to Saint Louis to be an assistant under Rick Majerus for four seasons, before Loyola Chicago hired him. As we all remember, he took Loyola and Sister Jean to the final four in 2018, and also led Loyola to their best record in the kenpom era in 2021 before being hired at Oklahoma after Lon Kruger retired. Needless to say, it hasn't gone great, as it's looking like he may miss the tourney for the 4th season in a row after the Sooners had made it 8 of 9 seasons before that.
LSU - Matt McMahon took Murray St to the tournament three times with two wins, one as a 12/5 dissection of Marquette in 2019, the other following a perfect 18-0 record in conference play as a 7-seed over Todd Golden's San Francisco in 2022. LSU hired him after Will Wade was fired for shady recruiting stuff that likely is perfectly legal today. Likely has a longer leash than most, but they have struggled this year.
South Carolina - Lamont Paris coached Chattanooga to their best record in the kenpom era, nearly upsetting Illinois as a 13-seed in a game that they led with 20 seconds to play. Last year in his 2nd season at South Carolina, they earned their highest seed since 1998, though those year they find themselves in last place, though extremely competitive.
Vanderbilt - Mark Byington coached both Georgia Southern and James Madison to their best records in the kenpom era including a 12/5 upset for JMU over Wisconsin in Brooklyn last year. In his first season in Nashville, he may not make the tourney, but he's making Vandy fans forget about the dreadful Stackhouse era already.
Arkansas - John Calipari has taken Memphis and Kentucky to their best records in the kenpom era, including national runner-up at Memphis with Derrick Rose and winning a championship at Kentucky in 2012 with Anthony Davis, along with national runner-up in 2014 with Julius Randle, two other final fours, three elite 8s and one sweet 16. Post-COVID though, he seemed to lose a step and decided to take the Arkansas job. He's already beaten Kentucky at Rupp and looks to be challenging for a tourney spot after losing his star freshman midway through the season.
Texas - Rodney Terry took over after Chris Beard was fired and led the team to the Elite 8, thus getting the job full time. The jury is still out on him, and he is the least-accomplished of these coaches thus far, though he did lead Fresno State to the tourney in 2016 for their only appearance since 2001 in the days of Tark the Shark.
Georgia - Mike White led Louisiana Tech to their best season in the kenpom era before going to Florida, where he made the elite 8 in his second season thanks to Billy Donovan's recruits in 2017. He spent the next 6 seasons underperforming, before jumping to Georgia, where he has...underperformed as well, though they did make the final four last year...of the NIT. They will likely not make the tourney this year either.
Oklahoma - After two mediocre stints at Little Rock and Illinois St, Porter Moser went to Saint Louis to be an assistant under Rick Majerus for four seasons, before Loyola Chicago hired him. As we all remember, he took Loyola and Sister Jean to the final four in 2018, and also led Loyola to their best record in the kenpom era in 2021 before being hired at Oklahoma after Lon Kruger retired. Needless to say, it hasn't gone great, as it's looking like he may miss the tourney for the 4th season in a row after the Sooners had made it 8 of 9 seasons before that.
LSU - Matt McMahon took Murray St to the tournament three times with two wins, one as a 12/5 dissection of Marquette in 2019, the other following a perfect 18-0 record in conference play as a 7-seed over Todd Golden's San Francisco in 2022. LSU hired him after Will Wade was fired for shady recruiting stuff that likely is perfectly legal today. Likely has a longer leash than most, but they have struggled this year.
South Carolina - Lamont Paris coached Chattanooga to their best record in the kenpom era, nearly upsetting Illinois as a 13-seed in a game that they led with 20 seconds to play. Last year in his 2nd season at South Carolina, they earned their highest seed since 1998, though those year they find themselves in last place, though extremely competitive.
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